Electromagnetic drive apparatus



July 17, 1951 H. J. FINDLEY 2,560,940

ELECTROMGNETIC DRIVE APPARATUS Filed Jan. 7, 1948 T-n nl l NVENTOR Rf/ammo d /vo/:fr mam( M ATTOR/VYJ j UNITI-:D saires .Pariezlwl OFFICE humanly- 11. 'i951 2,560,940

ELECTROMAGNETIC DRIVE APPARATUS Howard J.Findley, Chardon, Ohio, as'signor to of the pump.

Eaton Manufacturing Company,

Cleveland,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 7, 1948, Serial No. 1,037

' circulating fan for a liquid cooled internal conibustion engine wherein the fan is associated with the liquid circulating means of the engine and theliquid circulating means and electromagnetic drive have a common driving source of power. The liquid circulating means, electromagnetic drive and circulating fan are so structurally incorporatedrelative to one another in a compact, emcient arrangement witlithe current eddy current electro- Vmagnetic drives or power transmitting devices carrying brush for the drive arrangedin the liquid circulating system of the engine.

An object of the invention is the provision of an incorporated engine aircirculating fan and liquid circulating pump structure wherein the fan is speed controlled driven by an eddy current electromagnetic drive which has current transmitting means therefor situated axially of the pump in a portion of the liquid circulating system of the engine.

Another object of the invention the pro? vision oi an eddy current electromagnetic power transmitting ldevice for an engine lian for con,

trolling the speed of operation thereof having the current supply brush thereof arranged axially of the drive in substantially sealed relation within a portion of the liquid cooling system of the engine.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an electromagnetic speed controllable transmitting mechanism for driving an engine `air circulating fan structurally incorporated with the engine liquid circulating pump'wherein the current carrying means for the mechanism is arranged in sealed relation in the water jacket A further object of the invention is'the proi vision of an eiiicient, compact structural-arrangement of engine air circulating fan and liquid circulating pump driven from an output shaft of the engine and wherein the operation of theengine fan is controlled by an eddy current electromagnetic power transmitting mechanism interposed between the output shaft and fan.

A yet further object of the. invention is the provision of an eddy electromagnetic power transmitting mechanism comprising an input member, an output member, an electromagnetic 5 Claims. (Cl. 172-284) 2 coilarranged on one of the members and electrical supply circuit means for the coil having the current transmitting means thereof arranged in substantially sealed relation within a liquid housing adapted to be associated with the mechvanism.

A still further object of the invention is the rotatable contacting current transmitting means arranged in sealed relation to the liquid in the housing.

Other objects and advantages ofthe invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, forming a part of the specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary partially cross-sectionalized view of a novel form of engine circulating fan and liquid circulating pump structure in association with an internal combustion engine;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the current transmitting arrangement shown by Fig. l and;

Fig. 3 is a modification of the current transmitting means shown by Figs. l and 2.

It has become necessary in view of the adaptation of eddy current electromagnetic power transmitting mechanism to internal combustion engines for controlling the speed of operation of air circulating fans therefor to incorporate the mechanisms Within the fan proper and the power ated engine by; way of a belt drive connected to a drive shaft for the pump and fan. The electromagnetic power transmitting mechanism of the presently devised pump-fan assembly is oi.' the general type disclosed by my co-pending U.V S. App. S. N. 693,061, filed August 26, 1946. now Patent No. 2,497,402. dated August 24. 1949, interposed between the pump drive shaft and aecomo fan assembly for controlling the operational speed of the fan in accordance with engine coolmechanism it was found most practical. for the purpose of supplying electrical current to the electromagnetic coil of the power transmitting mechanism, to arrange the current carrying brush along the axis of the pump-fan drive shaft in current contacting relative rotative relation within the liquid housing of the pump. With the arrangement of the current carrying and transmitting means within the liquid hous-l ing, for compact structure purposes. it becomes necessary to completely seal the current transmitting terminals from association with the liquid in the housing so as to minimize electrolytic action that might otherwise occur upon the terminals through the delivery of current requirements of the associated electromagnetic coils. l

As an alternative to the completely sealed brush contact arrangement a current transmitting structure -is provided comprising a small quantity of mercury or a like substance shielded in a container into which are projected, in contact with the mercury, current conducting members. 'The terminal of the rotative current conducting members should be so constructed relative to the mercury container as to restrain torv a minimum the amount of liquid entering the mercury container. i

Referring to the drawings for more specic details of the invention wherein like numerals refer t'o like parts and more particularly to Fig. l, l represents generally an internal combustion engine having incorporated therein a comaxlallyextended portion Il in radially spaced relation to the rotor 42. Y n

The rotor l2 includes a pair of members Il and 50 forming the field body of the power transmitting mechanism and having arranged annularly therebetween an electromagnetic coil l2.

The coil 52 is grounded at one end to the members Il and l0 and has its other end supplied with live current by way of lead line $0 extending radially through the hub of the rotor and axially through passages li and le provided in shaft` 20.

in insulated relation thereto terminating in a terminal member 80. Y j.

Al sourceof electrical current` for the coil is supplied by a current conveying line I2, from a source not shown, to a terminal member 04 arminal member 00. v

The terminal members 00 and 04 are mounted in a housing or container 0l of insulation material and are adapted to be immersed in mercury or a like substance rwhich is carriedbythe housing. The mercury together with the vte als 00 -and 04 constitute the current itting means for the coil between the relatively rotating parts of the current supply line and' line ll connected to the coil. The rotating terminal Il ranged in axially spaced relation .tothe ter.-

is securely arranged in an insulationy sleevey 10,"

mounted in the pump-fan shaft and projectsin close annular fitting relationintothe housing. 1

se so as to minimize the amount or` liquid en'- tering the cavityll of the housing 06 from the` pletely immersed in mercury which operates as bination pump-fan structure |2 which is driven from the crank shaft of the vehicle, not shown, by way of i a belt drive Il arranged between a pulley mounted on the crankshaft and a pulley Il incorporated in the pump-fan structure.

The pump-fan structure I2 comprises a central shaft i0 journalled on bearing 20 which in turn is mounted in a hoi. ling member 22. The housing member 22 is suitably secured upon the en`- gine l0 on the forward end thereof and provides therein a liquid pump chamber 24 having suitable inlet and discharge ports 26 and 20 respectively associated therewith and adapted to also be in communication with the liquid passages in the engine cooling system, not shown.

A pump 30 suitably amxed on the shaft 20 for rotation therewith is arranged in the pumping chamber and has suitable liquid sealing means I2 arranged on one end thereof in association with a hub portion 3| ofthe housing to inhibit leakage of liquid from `the chamber along the shaft.

An eddy current electromagnetic power transmitting mechanism 30, of the type more fully ydisclosed by my co-pending U. S. App. S. N. 693,061 filed August 26, 1946, is arranged intermediate the driven pulley I0 and an air circulating fan 30 suitably Journalled on bearing 00 which is mounted on shaft 20, as an effective speed control` means for transmitting power from the crankshaft to the fan. The mechanism 0I comprises a rotor l2 flxedly secured to shaft 20 forward axially disposed from the pump I2 having the pulley i6 suitably secured to the hub thereof and extending outward radially axially in *Y overhanging relation to the hub of housing 20 and a drum member I4 which is flxedly secured to the hub of fan 38 and isarranged with its the current transmitting agent between the terminals and a small amount of leakage would not materially contaminate the mercury.

As a further means of protecting the current contacting brushes or transmitting mechanism from electrolytic action as regards the structure of Figs. 1 and 2, Fig. 3 illustrates an arrangement of a current supply contact |00 arranged for air-` ial motion in a cage |02 mounted in a housing |04 of insulation material, and in axial juxtaposed' relation with a rotating current receiving terminal |00. The housing |04 has secured in an open end |00 thereof an annular sealing member |I0 having sealing lips ||2 adapted to ilrmly embrace the exterior of terminal |06 and inhibit passage of liquid'into housing |04. The terminal |00 is fixedly secured in an insulator sleeve ||4 mounted in the pump shaft.

Although the invention has been described specifically relative to combination pump-fan assemblies for internal combustion engines it is applicablel to any arrangement wherein current is supplied to an electromagnetic device having a liquid carrying housing or the like arranged in association therewith and through which the current for the device must be passed. Accordlngly, the invention is to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. An accessory drive apparatus comprising a liquid containing housing, a power driven shaft extending into the housing, an electromagnetic drive coupled to the shaft comprising an input member driven with the shaft, an output member rent contactor member fixedly secured in the shaft within the housing, a live current conductor extending from the electrical supply through the housing into contacting current transmitting relation with the coil contactor member, and means sealing the contacting .portions of the conductors from the liquid in the housing.

2. An apparatus comprising a liquid containing housing, a rotatable power driven shaft extending partially into the liquid containing housing, an electromagnetic drive coupled to the shaft comprising an input member driven by the shaft. an output member cooperable therewith, and an electromagnetic coil carried by the input member, an electrical supply circuit for the coil comprising a current conductor extending from the coil through a central portion of the shaft and terminating in a terminal within the housing, a current conductor extending from the electrical supply through the housing and terminating in a terminal substantially axially aligned with the coil terminal within the housing, a container enclosing the ends of the terminals and a current conducting material in the container having the terminal ends immersed therein.

3. An electromagnetic power transmitting mechanism comprising a power supplied input member and a cooperable driven output member, an electromagnetic coil arranged on one of the members, a liquid carrying housing arranged in annular relation to a portion of one of the members, an electrical supply circuit for the coil comprising a source of electrical current, a stationary current conductor connected with the current supply terminating in a contactor terminal, a current conducto!` connected to the coil terminating at its free enh'v in a contactor terminal axially spaced from the current contactor of the first conductor within the liquid carrying housing, said second conductor being rotatable with the member within which the coil is arranged, a stationary housing immersed in the liquid of the liquid carrying housing enclosing the contactor terminals substantially sealing the terminals from the liquid carrying housing and a substance in the terminal housing for transmitting current between the terminals.

4. An electromagnetic power transmitting mechanism comprising a power supply input member, a cooperable driven output member, an electromagnetic coil arranged on one of the members, a liquid carrying housing annularly disposed about-a portion of one of the members and an electrical supply source for the coil comprising current supply means, a rotatable current conductor connected to the coil having a terminal at its free end, a stationary current conductor mounted on the housing connected to the current supply having a terminal on .its free end axially spaced from the other terminal and current transmitting means comprising a stationary casing having a central cavity and embracing the respective conductors at axially spaced points. and a liquid in the cavity in contacting engagement with the respective conductor terminals arranged in sealed relation in the liquid carrying housing between the current conductor terminals.

5. An electromagnetic power transmitting mechanism comprising an input member and an output member cooperable therewith, an electromagnetic coil carried by one of the members. a source of electrical current for the coil, a liquid containing housing annularly disposed about a portion of one of the members, relatively rotatable electrical current transmitting means disposed intermediate the electrical current source and coil arranged in submerged relation to the liquid inthe housing comprising axially spaced end terminals of the current supply and coil, a stationary container annularly disposed about the end terminals having a central cavity and a current conducting liquid therein with the terminal ends extending in immersed relation into the liquid in the cavity of the container.

HOWARD J. FINDLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

